This past week in Matthews Ridge was a busy one. Last Wednesday we had a nice congregation cleanup after morning service. The morning started out quite rainy. I was still going to try to make it out to Port Kaituma to conduct the group Watchtower study there if it wasn’t raining out that side. As I went to fill up the motorbike with gas, though, the shop owner told me that he had heard over the radio that it was raining in Kaituma too. And seeing that the road out Kaituma side isn’t very good, I decided it was better to hold off on trying to make the trip. In the afternoon the sun came out and, as was mentioned, we we’re able to clean the Kingdom Hall, as well as do some yard work. There was quite a good turn out for the cleanup, and we all had a good time working together.
The close of last week on into the weekend was even more busy and exciting as we prepared for and attended the Special Assembly Day in Baramita. We were able to hire two cruisers to take the group of 19 of us from Matthews Ridge to where the road to Baramita ends. A crew of workers has been working on extending the road toward Baramita, and much progress has been made. Last year we had to walk about 6-7 hours from where the truck dropped us off, which was at the start of the bush line. But this year, we took a cruiser on the big road as far as it has been extended so far. The road was quite muddy towards the end of where it finished, making for a very interesting ride. From where the cruisers dropped us all off, it took us less than 2 hours to walk across to Baramita.
We arrived in Baramita just before 2:00 in the afternoon. 12 of the women who went stayed in the school which was made available to them. Andrew and myself, as well as two other young men that went, stayed inside a small building owned by one of the brothers in Baramita. On Saturday we prepared for the assembly the next day, which draws a larger group than is usually present for congregation meetings there, by putting together expanded seating sections on the sides of the hall. We walked out to a brother’s house in the bush and carried back wooden planks and beams. These, together with some stumps, paulins (as they refer to tarpaulins here), and ropes, provided fine additional seating. This consisted of a grid of stumps with planks laid across, and a cover tied overheard. Later that day, one of the local brothers handed me a stack of papers and a small note with the words “Moro kuri’chakon oinyo’po asipya tiweiyepa ma” written on it. He said it was the theme of the assembly written in Carib, and the stack of papers was this theme printed out in large characters. He wanted me to arrange these large printed words together and affix them to a board fastened by the stage, as this would be the posted theme of the assembly program. Not being too familiar with Carib, this seemed a bit intimidating at first, but I ended up really enjoying this assignment.
The assembly’s stirring theme was “The Time Left Is Reduced”. The assembly was presented in the Carib language, although many portions of it were presented in English first, and then translated. The program was so upbuilding. The instruction given in the manner it was truly was an expression of Jehovah’s loving concern for people “of all…tongues”. On Monday morning 18 of us from Matthews Ridge, along with Leon and Eulita Stevens, the circuit overseer and his wife, made it across to Matthews Ridge in 3 plane shuttles. And so following that uplifting assembly program, we are looking forward to an exciting week of activity here in Ridge with the visit of the Stevens.
The pictures included with this week’s entry are of the assembly in progress, and of the group from Matthews Ridge at the assembly.
The close of last week on into the weekend was even more busy and exciting as we prepared for and attended the Special Assembly Day in Baramita. We were able to hire two cruisers to take the group of 19 of us from Matthews Ridge to where the road to Baramita ends. A crew of workers has been working on extending the road toward Baramita, and much progress has been made. Last year we had to walk about 6-7 hours from where the truck dropped us off, which was at the start of the bush line. But this year, we took a cruiser on the big road as far as it has been extended so far. The road was quite muddy towards the end of where it finished, making for a very interesting ride. From where the cruisers dropped us all off, it took us less than 2 hours to walk across to Baramita.
We arrived in Baramita just before 2:00 in the afternoon. 12 of the women who went stayed in the school which was made available to them. Andrew and myself, as well as two other young men that went, stayed inside a small building owned by one of the brothers in Baramita. On Saturday we prepared for the assembly the next day, which draws a larger group than is usually present for congregation meetings there, by putting together expanded seating sections on the sides of the hall. We walked out to a brother’s house in the bush and carried back wooden planks and beams. These, together with some stumps, paulins (as they refer to tarpaulins here), and ropes, provided fine additional seating. This consisted of a grid of stumps with planks laid across, and a cover tied overheard. Later that day, one of the local brothers handed me a stack of papers and a small note with the words “Moro kuri’chakon oinyo’po asipya tiweiyepa ma” written on it. He said it was the theme of the assembly written in Carib, and the stack of papers was this theme printed out in large characters. He wanted me to arrange these large printed words together and affix them to a board fastened by the stage, as this would be the posted theme of the assembly program. Not being too familiar with Carib, this seemed a bit intimidating at first, but I ended up really enjoying this assignment.
The assembly’s stirring theme was “The Time Left Is Reduced”. The assembly was presented in the Carib language, although many portions of it were presented in English first, and then translated. The program was so upbuilding. The instruction given in the manner it was truly was an expression of Jehovah’s loving concern for people “of all…tongues”. On Monday morning 18 of us from Matthews Ridge, along with Leon and Eulita Stevens, the circuit overseer and his wife, made it across to Matthews Ridge in 3 plane shuttles. And so following that uplifting assembly program, we are looking forward to an exciting week of activity here in Ridge with the visit of the Stevens.
The pictures included with this week’s entry are of the assembly in progress, and of the group from Matthews Ridge at the assembly.
